Allies' wrath upsets KPCC over betrothal ceremony of liquor baron Biju Ramesh
Thiruvananthapuram: There is simmering discontent in the JD(U) and KC(M) over the Congress leadership’s handling of various issues affecting the allies. The JD(U) leadership is sore with the party after the Congress fact-finding committee report blamed the Congress leaders in Nemom for the defeat of JD(U) candidate V. Surendran Pillai.
Kerala Congress (Mani) leadership is also trying to put pressure on the Congress over its senior leaders attending the betrothal ceremony of liquor baron Biju Ramesh. Despite former revenue minister Adoor Prakash saying that the controversy should be ended, the KC (M) is in no mood to relent.
When the Assembly resumes its session on Friday, the majority of the Congress leaders are camping in New Delhi for talks with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. The fact-finding committee report of the Congress revealed that there was erosion of votes in Nemom and not vote-trading as a section of the media alleged. A UDF source told DC that when a section of JD(U) leaders was ready to join the LDF, their party chairman M. P. Veerendra Kumar was offered the Rajya Sabha seat by the Congress.
“So the JD(U) leaders are stuck with the UDF. At the same time, the Congress has not taken any action against the erring local leaders in Palakkad Lok Sabha elections in 2014 which has irked the JD(U) leaders,” said a UDF source.
The KC (M) camp is unhappy over former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala attending the betrothal ceremony of Adoor Prakash’s son with Biju Ramesh’s daughter. A prominent Congress leader told DC that Mr Mani is also in a fix about leaving the UDF which would result in the breakup of the party.
“With Mani being embroiled in the bar scam the LDF camp is not keen to bring him to the Left. The LDF camp also knows that P. J. Joseph faction will not follow Mani. It will be a huge loss if Mani decides to come to the LDF camp. At the same time, the BJP camp is keen to attract Christian minority votes in the form of Mani and company”, said a UDF leader.
